Gas cannon



E. S. PEAKE May 7, 1935. s

GAS CANNON 4. Sheets-Sheet l Filed May l2, 1932 A TTORNEY E. S. PEAKE May 7, 1935.

GAS CANNON 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May l2, 1952 NVENTR BY Y y TTORNEKS.

E. S, PEAKE May 7, 1935.

GAS CANNON Filed May l2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 )M ATTQRNEKS www E. S. PEAKE GAS CANNON May 7, 1935 Filed May l2, 1932 4 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 7, 19135 GASQCANNo Y 'Edward Sutton' Peake, ,Vlrestervllel Ohio, as-r signor tro/The Kilgore Manufacturing Company, Westerville, Ohio, la corporation of Ohio Appliaation May iaisaaserial' No, 610,751

' s crains. (Gilat-rsa) My invention relates to gas cannons. lIt is the'object` of my inventiontQ provide a gas cannon using predetermineds'ized, formed ammunition delivered. from a point -exteri-or ,of `J lthe cannon into a gas forming chamber outside Vofzth'e cannon. 1 1 `Itais a further Aobject to provide means ,of r` ing '.the; gas ,in 4thefgas forming: chamber and permitting the discharge of the :gases thus l0" formed by the explosion into thefbarrelof ,the

canntm.` i v f l,

.Itlis .my objectto provide in connection there-v With a resilient 'ball projectile. Y f I It. isrny Aobject to provide a gravityieed ,of 1,5: ammunition of predetermined size andstrength which may bexsupplied inithe form of pellets, blocksbars,ncapsules or strips. Y v It `is 'my` object to .provide :both v a gravity feed amd a inrechanical feed. g

It is a iu-rtlre'r` object to provide 'in combination Withithe cannon and-.a gas forming means ,and ammunition a projectilelicarrying anrexpelling charge and .time fuse, 'the fuse beingignited by the flame from tlregasrexplosion'attheisame time the gases of `the lexplosion propel the projectile :out of the fgun so that at the end 'ofthe flight of,` the projectile the `contentsfof the projectile Will be propelled and expelledlv permitting' a fgure to descend :ion :a parachute, :such ligure being` used in the projectilegto protect the para; chute during discharge. j l j 1n particular `itJis `my `object to provide 'a `gas cannon in which pre-formed gas':foi-.mingasub stampe-fof uniform strength .will be Yfed to the cannonandronly une fofzsuch' pre-lformednieans can` beied at a time :sothat 'anexcess ,charge cannot fbe vigottenninto the Acannon: luy mistake :Referring Vto drawings; .Figure 1V is ,a top plan viewpfa mortar. Y l

Figure 2fis la section on the line" -l'ofigurelp-l "f' 'Figure' F3 is asection showing a lrndi-"riiec'l forrn for 'ammunition and ammunition feeding rn'eans; f Figure 4 is asimilar view'showin'g "a'modied rmfm` of ammunition and ammuninn feeding means. A v Figure 5 is `a detailed sectionv through amodi edform of firing-(means using a iii-nt. i Vligure 6 is a sectionthrough :themortary show-'- ing th'euse of a `.parachute projectile4 carrying a time fuse and expellingcharge. Y

,Figure 7 is .a :diagrammatic view-of the can. non `discharging the proiectile 'andv theiprojecte discharging thevparfachutef.

' showing* a push `button beneathrthe projectile such as the rubber lball E.

Vchamber liis'controlled byflthe rotating valve :r Figure. 8 isa perspective of; the ystink ammuni.- tionL .n

Figure V9 is a perspective `of the strip ammuni# tion.' l V. 's -wiigui'e--l` is"a `section `through the cannon 5 type of feed utilizing carbide pellets. f' l Jffigure l1` ,is .asection'through a form using a carbide Stick from Which the pellets can be broken pff.' Figure 12 is a section on the line l2- l2 of Figurer-l0.. .Y` l

-fReerringfto the rlravvuigs,V l is a base having l sidem'embers 2-zconstituting supportsV for the mnrtantrrmnions 3 which are adjustably locked tdthezsidewalls 2v by the vset screws 4. Itis preferred to have the mortar adjusted at an angle of approximately 6i) degrees.

:The 4mortar "consists ofla `barrel 5 having a breech 6 Witha :gas aperture 'l opening directly 20 The; mortar isfprovided .with algas .chamberlv formed by the"` projecting side Walls Ilil' ofthe nm'rtar*and a detachable arcuate breech block idf-retained by the locking sleeve l2 threaded on the mortar iat I3 and sealed thereto bythe Agasket M." It is desirable that this cham-ber S have a semifcircular bottom. `liith'in the chamber is afsupplyrof vvater'll directly `beneath the ain; munition :porti 6 through which drops by gravity theiaminunition pelletsof gas' formi-ng'material su'chzasy carbide, designated il. These pellets are loaded into 'theicharnber Yl Within the sleeve ils rlosed by'th'edoorVv 2g. 171The bottom of `the member 2s! "which is slottedat -22 to form a pdclgetfof .sucient :size lto reeeive one of the pellets H; ii-When this `valve member-is rotated to receive an ammunition pellet in the pocket 22, its'wall "23xclosesoff the opening l5 and when the valve member 21 vis again .rotated to' discharge the. ammunition pellet `through the opening it, therear wallfjz'shutswoi the passagewaylaso that only fenearurnunition pellet at a time can befdischargedmto the AWater 'i5'. The valve4, 5,

member ;2l"is` actuated by the thumb piece A2&5 and is limited in its rotation by the finger 25 and shoulder' 25a. Y

When :the carbideY pellet 'TV5 drops into lthe Watenigas is for-med. "This gas may 'be fired-by Y an-y, desired means, isuch as by the hammer '26 actuating the'ringpin 2l, iiring the, cap

fwh'ichlccmmunicates through" the port Z9 with theinterierpf the `chamber i9 iiring the gas charge, VVvvith the resultthat the 'gases are ds- 55 comprising a firing pin 21 having a head 38v which is pressedv backwardly by the Spring 39 which carries with it the head 4B of the'corrugated member 4| having theiiint plunger 42 operating in the chamber 43 and pressed by the spring 44.

Referring to the modication as shown in Figure 3, it will be noted that-in this case a-bar" of carbide designated 45 Vwhich is. wealfrened along the lines 46 is pressed by the lspring 41 under the screw top 48 downwardly through the chamber I8 in the ammunition containerlS. in the path of the reciprocating plunger 49 which is adapted to shear the bar of ammunitioni45 into blocks of equal size along theV linesv 46,v discharging one block at a time into the water |5. The plunger 43 is pivoted at 50 to the actuating lever 5| which is pivotedat 52 on the ammunition container .|9. This lever 5| is spring pressed by the spring 53 to hold it against the top of the bar of ammunition 45.

Referring to the modification in Figure 4, I have provided in this -arrangement a strip of ammunition comprising a series of pellets' 54 1 which are carried on ap'aper strip or between paper strips 55. This strip is fed over the ammunition opening I6 by the corrugated feed wheel 56 having teeth 51. This wheel is pivoted at 58 on the pivot ofthe actuating arm 5| which carries the pusher and shear member 49 that has a cutting edge 49a.v for shearing the paper .strip to release the pellet 54 so that it can drop in the'water 5. Spring members 59 and 60 carry it respectively on the housing |9 and the. z lever 5|, which serve to regulate the movement of the corrugated wheel 56. 'I'heammunition strip is preferably wound on the carrier pin 55a. Y Referring to the modification in Figure 6, where a projectile is used with a time fuse and expelling charge, I provide a cylindrical projectile 6| having an expellingcharge 62 in the base with an oppositional cover 63 acting as a` gas check and also as a support for the base 64 .of the figure 65 which extends through to the upper end of the projectile beneath the cover 66. Aparachute 61 is wrapped around thegurc so that .the entire thrust is on the figure and not' upon the parachute. The parachute is attached tothe figure by the parachute cords 68.

The expelling charge 62 is led by the time fuse 69 which constitutes` a powder charge compressed within the sleeve 16. This powder is vexposed at 1| to the flame passing through the opening 1 upon the explosionV of the carbide gas as heretofore described.Y The projectile is forced out of the gun by this explosion and the time fuse is ignited so that after 'the o projectile reaches a predetermined height, the time fuse will burn through and ignite the expelling charge 62, blowing the gure Y'and the parachute wrapped around it out. of the kprojectile, enabling the parachute-tocome, down open', with the thrust member suchas the figure 65 being then used as the weight to draw the parachute back to earth.v y i i Referring to Figure 10, it will be observed that I employ an ammunition chamber |9 to which there are fed a plurality of cylindrical pellets 12. Due to the angular position of the cannon, these pellets feed downwardly by gravity so that the bottom one rests against the bottom wall of the ammunition chamber I9 at |9a. Over this last pellet is a spring restricting plunger 13 held vbackwardly by thevspring 14 which can be depressed by the finger piece 15 to drop `the last or bottom pellet into theV water I5. Upon the withdrawal of the plunger 13, the next succeeding pellet will drop into position for the feeding operation.

. At the-same time it will seal the discharge `opening I6 through which the pellet has been delivered to the water I5. When the gas is gen- `verated, it makes its exit into the gun barrel 5 through the passageway 1 over the flint firing -move these flints against the ratchet surface of the member 8|. As Ythe-carbide gas'ows over the flint mechanism, itis red so as to drive the rubber-ball 8 or any other projectile out ofthe cannon.;

. In Figure. 11 isY shown a modified form of ammunition consisting of a carbide stick 86 weakened at intervals at 81 so that a pellet 88 can be broken off to drop into the water. I5 and then the swingingcover 89 will close the discharge opening I6 and firing can take place. This stick may have acover of thin paper, water-proofl material, gelatin or the like to pro tect it before Ait is dumped Yinto the water. These sticks 8S willfbe furnished to the trade in closed containers such as bottles so as toI preserve the carbide. The advantage of this construction Yis that it eliminates special loading mechanism.

4The stick vStor the pellet v'|2 may have such a coating as described indicated at 90, which is shown partially broken away in Figure 11.

It will be further noted in connection with` the member A8| that it is partially cut away at 78|a. to provide a Vent. .In non-firing position the `member 8| closes the'port 1 but in firing position it. opens the. port .1 to permit the carbide' gas to `flowinto the gun barrel 5. This facilitates the firing by the notched steel member 8| striking against the flint. This arrangementpermits the gas to be held in the generating chamber until the ball is placed in the end of the cannon;v Ity eliminates escaping of the gas without functioning and there is no chance for the explosion travelingdown into Vthe generating chamber. This permits more carbide to be placed in the generating chamber Vthan could be ordinarily placed therein as the gas flowV will be governed to such an extent that the eiciency of the cannon willfbeI greater than has Vbeen heretofore possible, as heretofore it has been impossible to control the gas flow.V

According to my method, I prepare and supply a gas 'forming charge such as a pellet or block of carbide of known strength to a measured quantity of water, one pellet at a'timev,y

and' only one. This makes the apparatus safe for children so that an excess Vcharge cannot be inadvertently placed in thercannon. Then- ,and itmay serveto ignite the time fusein the expelling charge of the projectile. -I desire to comprehend within my invention such modications as may be clearly embraced within the claim and scope ofv my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by 1. In a 'gas cannon, an' ammunition means comprising a storage chamber,` having a lateral discharge opening at one end and a valve member between saidv chamber and dischargeopeningv rotatably mounted therein and having a slot adapted to receive onemammunition member at a time in one position and to discharge said member 'in another position while preventing the remaining ammunition members'from discharging, and means associated with said valve membei'- to positively eject an ammunition member through said dischargeV opening. Y

2. In combination in a gas cannon; an ,ammunition means comprising an ammunition storage chamber for storing an ammunition strip, means for feeding saidrstrip and means for shearing portions of said strip and ejecting the sheared portions tothe cannon.

3. In combination in a gas cannon, of an ammunition feeding means comprising an ammunition storage chamber containing bar ammunition separable into blocks, yielding means engaging one end of said bar to move it towards the end of the chamber, said chamber vhaving a Y lateral discharge opening and a shearing, eject- .ing means adapted to move across said chamber and into said ejection opening to force `sections 45 of said bar one Vat opening.

' 4. In a gas cannon, a gas generating chamber, a cannon, means for conveying gas from one to the other, and means to Vcontrol the gas conatime into and through said veying means to prevent the exit of 'gas to the cannon until desired, said control means comprising a firing means so arranged that when it is in firing position the gas can pass from the generating chamber to the cannon and when it is in rest position, the gas is prevented from so flowing.

5. In a toy cannon, a gas generating chamber, a gas cannon having a passageway communicating therewith and a ring mechanism associated with said passageway so that the gas will'iiow thereover, and means for controllingthe passage of gas through Ysaid gas passageway by said ring mechanism whereby gas can not flow when the firing mechanism is at rest position.

6. In a gas cannon, a gas generating chamber, a gas chamber having a gas passageway communicating therewith, means of feeding .carbide to said gas generating chamber, reciproeating firing steel adapted to close said passageway when in inoperative position and open it in operative position, and int means associated Y passageway into the cannon.

Vr7. In a gas cannon, a gas generating chamber, a'gas chamber having a gas passageway communicating therewith, means of feeding carbide to said gas generating chamber, reciprocating firing steel adapted to close said passageway when in inoperative position and open it in operative position, and iint means associated therewith over which the gas ows -from the gas passageway into the cannon, yielding means to actuate said ring steel, a pawl holding said yielding means and firing steel in ring position, and a lanyard for detaching saidpawl from the ring means. i' f 8. In a firing mechanism for a gas cannon, a cannon barrel, means ofgconveying explosive gases therein, a ring steel having a portion cut away V*whereby the firing steel will cut 01T said passageway or form a passageway with it to the cannon, a flint mounted on the outside of the cannon engaging said steel, a ilint mounted on the inside'of the cannon engaging said steel, and means of actuating said steel.

EDWARD SUTTON PEAKE. 

